(Not Applicable)
(Not Applicable)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to animated figures, and more particularly to a compact, inexpensive animation device for imparting realistic, lifelike movements to the head and mouth of a toy such as a doll or a soft toy animal.
2. Background of the Invention
There have been known for many years various types of animated figures and toys which are capable of performing various movements in sequences and/or combinations as convey a life-like appearance. Such animated figures are often found in amusement parks, with more simplified animated toys being available commercially in many toy stores or the toy departments of various retail establishments. The animated figures often seen in amusement parks are generally of extremely complex construction, and include many motors which are operative to facilitate the movements of various body parts of the figure (e.g., the head, eyes, mouth, arms, legs, etc.). The control of these many motors is typically facilitated by a central processor which is programmed to coordinate the actuation of the motors as needed to impart to the animated figure life-like movements. As will be recognized, these animated figures are highly sophisticated, expensive devices, typically unsuitable for the consumer market.
Those animated figure (e.g., toys) which are suited for the consumer market are substantially less complex, and thus substantially less expensive than the above-described xe2x80x9camusement parkxe2x80x9d animated figures. In this regard, presently available animated figures such as dolls and soft toy animals are typically provided with one or more motors capable of facilitating a limited range of movement of one or more corresponding body parts of the figure. Those animated figures including a single motor which facilitates the movement of one corresponding body part tend to be on the less expensive side of the price scale, but are extremely limited in their ability to provide life-like movements to the figure. Those animated figures or dolls which include multiple motors facilitating the movement of multiple body parts, while imparting a more life-like movement pattern and appearance to the figure, tend to be extremely costly due to the large number of motors included in the device, and hence more prone to failure since the failure of even a single motor may compromise the functionality of the entire device.
The present invention addresses these and other deficiencies of animated figures, soft toy animals and dolls currently available to consumers by providing an animation device for imparting to a toy such as a doll or a soft toy animal realistic, life-like head and mouth movements. The animation device of the present invention is capable of allowing movement along one axis concurrently with rotation about two other axes, with such movements imparting a life-like appearance to the doll, soft toy animal, or other figure. These, and other features of the present invention, will be discussed in more detail below.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an animation device for integration into an animated figure having a head and a movable jaw. The animation device comprises a cam assembly which is cooperatively engaged to the jaw of the animated figure. The cam assembly is configured for linear movement along a first axis concurrently with rotational or pivotal movement about second and third axes which extend in generally perpendicular relation to each other and to the first axis. Mechanically coupled to the cam assembly is an actuation motor which is operative to facilitate the movement of the cam assembly along the first axis concurrently with movement about the second and third axes.
In the animation device of the present invention, the cam assembly is cooperatively engaged to the jaw in a manner wherein the movement of the cam assembly along the first axis facilitates the movement of the jaw between open and closed mouth positions. The movement of the cam assembly about the second axis facilitates the movement of the head in an arcuate path between right and left positions, with the movement of the cam assembly about the third axis facilitating the movement of the head in an arcuate path between forward and backward positions. The movement of the jaw along the first axis concurrently with the movement of the head about the second and third axes imparts to the animated figure a realistic, life-like animated effect.